Hi Ben. Likewise. Really happy to re connect. Your great grandchildren are just beautiful! Lily has really grown. How old is Luke?We have 4 great grandchildren now, but they all live in Georgia and Sam doesn't travel so difficult to manage a visit. Three girls, ages 10, 8 and 16 months and one great grandson, Alex,will be 4 in October. Our son, Matt, and his little boy, Everett, also age 16 months, spent this weekend with us. Such a delightful age! He is full of giggles.

Everett, our youngest grandson, age 16 months. He is the youngest grandson of 6.

Our 3 great granddaughters, Frankie, 8, Addison 16 months and Jana 10, trying the temporary "pink hair" Two more granddaughters, as well. Total of 12.

Been a lovely summer for the most part, but very wet. I need to be 10 years younger to keep up with all the weeding and pruning. Wonder now how I ever managed it all. Looking back over the years of gardening, the one constant thing is change. I must send you a poem about the Golden Rod.

I too, look at the Gazebo Outback, with your beautiful home and family, and the gardens. Those early days were wonderful times. Pinterest caught my interest a few years ago, with all the amazing photos of gardening around the world. Here is URL to my page. I go under the name Rebecca Jones, but my user name is hesterredhen.

Facebook is where I catch up with relatives and friends, chat and share pictures, especially ones who no longer live in our area. I frequently find it lacking the quality of people and ideas your site offered. However, Karen is on here and I enjoy her posts. I have started branching out more for my personal interests. There are so many good pages. My Facebook has my middle name included, Rebecca Ann Jones.The URL below will give you options at the top to look at my other albums or photos, if you would like. The really pretty photos are in the Time line album.

My insomnia, has crept in over the years. All of my children except Susan, who is still single, liveaway from here. The internet, ,especially in the winter, instead of fills in those quiet hours before dawn.

We welcomed a nice shower tonight. Garden and tomatoes will be happy. First dry time we have had for most of the summer.

I'll try to do a better job of keeping in touch! Again, Great to hear from you. Becky

Ben, I've been thinking of you this past week. Should have checked the forum sooner. I was worried you might be in ill health. So glad to hear from you.

Aren't the grandchildren wonderful? Lily and Luke are story book beautiful! It seems not possible that Lily will be 5. I always enjoy seeing their pictures and hearing about them. Our future looks bright with children like these. Our oldest grandson, Jason,33, and his wife are expecting another baby in August. They are the parents of the 3 little girls, Jana ,10, Frankie ,9, and Addison will be 2 in May. Jason's brother, Darian, 26, has a little boy, Alex, who is 4. Matt's little boy, Everett, will be 2 the 29th of April. Michael, Heidi's son, is 26, and our younger daughter, Brandy's son will be 13 in April. Today is our grandaughter, Sophia's, 16th birthday. 20 years between our oldest and youngest daughters, and 21 years between our oldest and youngest grandsons. These days, my hopes and concerns are for their future.

I read this recently :

In Much Wisdomis much griefand he that increaseth knowledgeincreaseth sorrow.ecclesiastes 1:18

No wonder we enjoyed the 50's. However, I'm the eternal optimist. Aren't all gardeners? Gardening turns our thoughts outward as well as inward. It helps us understand our place in the world. Below is the poem I mentioned before. As the years go by, I too, am beginning to take another look at the goldenrod.

It May Not Comfort You To Know

It may not comfort you to know

But if the time should ever come

When lily and delphinium

Are trampled to their doom

(Where has the gardener gone?

And who will mow the lawn?)

It may be comfort in your need

To find the goldenrod in bloom,

To find it flower and not weed.

I purposefully let some grow near my back porch this past year. Their gay golden blossoms looked quite at home among the tall native purple asters. And the butterflies seemed pleased.

Wishing you and yours all the best that 2016 can bring. I'll try and check in more frequently. In the meantime, I check my email nearly every day. I use a different account than from times past. hesterredhen@gmail.com Take care, Ben. Becky

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